I just experienced a wonderful Zentangle related Valentines season through the Valentangle 2018 challenge sponsored by Marguerite Samama, CZT 16. Her mission was "to take two weeks to discover how we can put hearts into our tangles and let the tangles flow back into our hearts. We do this by appreciating making a small work of art, nourishing creativity and connecting to each other."

Valentangle 2018 Mosiac

Healthy Zentangle Process

I really found this challenge to be a wonderful creative and stretching experience. Naturally, we all go at our own pace and do as much or as little as we wish. Marguerite kept bringing us back to taking our time, breathing and appreciating the art of the process.

The handbook was free and well written with excellent direction that was easy to follow. Marguerite included beautiful samples of her own work and provided meditative instructions for creating projects with the theme of the day.

We all participated in the conversation by sharing our work on the Valentangle 2018 Facebook page. Likes, love and wow's were plenty as well as kind comments. It was a lovely experience and very gratifying.

Valentangle Day 1-3

Tangle Spoken

I used a white Zendala that I had previously water coloured with pink and yellow gauche. My thought was to radiate hearts at the end of the spoken tines and then tangle in between the tines. Tangles used were printemps, hollibaugh, spoken of course, footlites, and shattuck.

Valentangle Day 1 - Spoken

Green with a Heart String

Starting a tile with a string is a basic Zentangle principal. Today we used a heart shape as our string and included a bit of green color to enhance the project. Tangles used include Sharlarella, showgirl, floorz, knightsbridge, shattuck, toodles, henna drum, meer, heartrope, tipple, hollibaugh, and Drupe.

Valentangle Day 2 - Use green and heart string

Heart Dingbatz

For day 3 we were encouraged to create a Dingbatz with hearts. I focused heavily on the hearts and only a little on the Dingbatz aspect. Tangles included are diamond bales, printemps, paradox, molygon, bunzo and nzepple.

Valentangle Day 3 - heart dingbatz

Valentangle Day 4-6

Impossible Triangles

An impossible triangle is a shape that looks like it has been turned in on itself - it's an optical illusion when drawn and shaded properly. I had fun practising and trying to figure this one out. Shading this one is definitely a challenge.

Valentangle Day 4 - Impossible Triangle

Zenbutton and Fragments

Ah, Zenbuttons! I think this was my favorite day of the Valentangle series. This one is another fun shading challenge. You can expect a local class on Zenbuttons soon.

Valentangle Day 5 - Zenbutton

Tripoli Heart Fragment and Black Tile

Reticula and Fragments is a concept that Rick and Maria introduced in their Zentangle Primer book. For this day we used a tripoli looking fragment with a heart at the centre. I gave it a try with two options - Bijou and a 3Z.

Valentangle Day 6 - Heart Fragment - 3Z Black Tile

Valentangle Day 6 - Heart Fragment - Black Bijou tile

Valentangle Day 7-9

Embedded Letter

I guess this was my least favourite day as lettering is not my forte, but I happily gave it try. I used a tan 3Z tile with white highlights and a rose colour prizma pencil.

Valentangle Day 7 - Embedded Letter

New Heart Tangle

The project for today was to draw with a heart tangle that was new to us. My first attempt was minimalist and artistic.

Valentangle Day 8 - New Heart Tangle

My second attempt was really fun to do on a black tile. It turns out really dramatic with white pencil shading.

Valentangle Day 8 - Cross-Ur-Heart Tangle

Create a Zendala

I really enjoy creating mandalas and using fragments made this a naturally creative process. I used my Helix circle maker to draw a string and then proceeded with Peakes-Border, Inapod, paradox and a heart.

Valentangle Day 9 - Zendala

Valentangle Day 10-12

3Z Puzzle

I used three pre-strung 3Z tiles from Zentangle Headquarters because the string was already set. It gave me a great start on designing the layout. The first thing I learned was to match up the sides before adding the connecting piece of tangle. Since I was drawing a diamond shape it was impossible to get them to line up unless I placed two tiles together to draw the shape.

Valentangle Day 10 - 3Z Puzzle

Create a Heart Fragment

Wow, what a stretching experience to create my own heart related fragment! Since I really enjoy the tangle Mooka, I used it as the base of my heart fragment.

Valentangle Day 11 - Create a Heart Fragment

Design an Elegant Corner

I used my newly created Mooka Heart fragment to make my elegant corners.

Valentangle Day 12 - Elegant Corners

Valentangle Days 13-14

Dewd Hearts

Dewd is a relatively new tangle and lots of fun to draw. We were encouraged to use a heart shape instead of the classic orb.

Valentangle Day 13 - Dewd Hearts

Tribute to Bijou

For our last day of Valentangle 2018 we were to draw a tribute to Bijou. Naturally, I used a Bijou tile (black) with a few extra tangles to complete the scene. Tangles include, Ah, heart flower and toodles.

Valentangle Day 14 - Bijou Tribute

Valentangle 2018 Summary

This was such an enriching and creative process for me. I will definitely participate again next year for Valentangle 2019!